His wife Charlene bore two children in Baghdad, and says when the children were young she saw several riots right outside the house, "There is so much violence there, so many killings, and just everything has been destroyed. The Iraqis are hopeful of a better future.

They reached the bottom, and there is no way to go but up. They're hoping up means democracy."

"As today's voting demonstrates Iraq people want disagreements debated and decided through political processes that provide security and prosperity for all ages," Obama said.

Jassim says it won't be that easy, "Democracy doesn't come overnight. We have 200 years of democratic systems in this country and still people say the citizens here have no say. Here, people think lobbyists still hold the power of decision."

And yet, Jassim says today is a crucial first step towards freedom for a country ravaged by war.